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Lake Loramie State Park lies in eastern Ohio's Shelby County, approximately 50 miles north of Dayton. The 407-acre park surrounds the 1,655-acre namesake lake and offers a variety of recreational activities. The park also features a 175-site campground, which plays host each September to a Fall Festival & Campout.

Festival Facts

The annual Fall Festival & Campout at Lake Loramie State Park (dnr.state.oh.us) is a family-focused event typically on a weekend in mid-September, from late Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. Admission to the festival is free. Festival-goers are encouraged to stay the entire weekend and reserve a campsite at the park's regular rates on a first-come, first-serve basis. The park also has several overflow camping areas available during the festival.

Festival Events

The Fall Festival & Campout features children's activities and games, arts and crafts, a farmer's market, food vendors and live entertainment from approximately a half-dozen bands. An antique power show displays a variety of old gas-powered engines and equipment, and another prime attraction is campsites set up to look like those used by early American settlers. People dressed in frontier-style outfits show what daily life was like in the early 1800s and demonstrate how to use tools and equipment common in that period.

Campground Details

Lake Loramie State Park offers 160 campsites with electric hookup for tents, campers or RVs and 15 nonelectric sites. The campground also features showers, flush toilets and a dump station, and a few sites along the lake have boat tie-ups. The campground has three group camping areas and a miniature golf course, with free Wi-Fi available at the camp office. Other accommodation options at the park include three cedar cabins and four "Rent-A-Camp" sites, which include a tent, dining shelter and cooking equipment. The Rent-A-Camp sites are only available during summer.

Park Amenities

Not surprisingly, many activities at Lake Loramie State Park center around the lake itself. Approximately 90 docks and boat tie-ups are available for rental, and the park provides canoe rentals and six boat launches. Fish species targeted by anglers include bluegill, crappie, catfish, largemouth bass and carp. But there's also plenty to do away from the water. The park features picnic areas and shelters, a playground, sandy swimming beach, bicycle rentals, five hiking trails ranging from one to two miles and a nature center. Wintertime activities include snowmobiling, sledding, cross-country skiing, ice skating and ice fishing.

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About the Author

Robert Kay has written travel articles since 2002 and has more than 20 years of experience at three daily newspapers and a national magazine. His work has appeared in "Golfweek," "The New York Times" and various AAA publications. Now based in Florida, he holds a journalism degree from the University of South Carolina.